It's . . . Winnie! The Christmas Puppy

Warning: the following post is overflowing with photos! LOL 

Here we go . . . . long awaited and promised snapshots of my Christmas puppy!  Isn't she a doll? :-) 

This top photo was a day or two after I actually got her.  Looking at her now, I can see how much she has grown and matured compared to this pic!  Her little snout has also gotten a bit longer.  But she was (is) sooooo cute! Nine weeks old here. 

Another pic from nine weeks . . . . just hanging out.

I have since discovered that soon as I leave the couch or recliner, if there are any pillows or blankets nearby she will take them over in a matter of seconds! This just happened to be the first time she did and promptly fell asleep in the lap of luxury, around nine weeks old. ;-) 

This was one of those photos where I asked her to pose and held up my camera and she did! She loves posing for her mommy! LOL  Around ten weeks old here. 

 Also around ten weeks old, close to eleven, taking her first big walk around Forest Park in St. Louis, MO when my dear husband (pictured walking her here) and I visited family for my sister in law's graduation from graduate school!  She loved going on the walk and meeting people and dogs!

Here she is wearing her very first sweater, the one I got her for Christmas that soon was too small for her. But she sure looked cute! 

Another posed photo courtesy of Winnie Shih Poo! Isn't that just the cutest teddy bear face ever?!? Around eleven or twelve weeks old here. 

Same day I think as the last one.  She discovered she could jump onto the back of our couch and perch there much more like a cat than a puppy!  She worries me when she does that but there's no stopping her!  She loves to do it every time her daddy gets up to go to another room, watching for his return! ;-) 

"Aren't I cute?!?"  Posing with one of her Christmas presents from her grandma, a stuffed puppy. She's photogenic! LOL About 12 weeks old. 

Another snapshot when I asked her to "sit" and she promptly obliged! She's smart: she learned sit within about 10 minutes of training at only 9 weeks old and learned how to fetch shortly thereafter! About twelve weeks here. 

Her softer side . . . . snuggling contentedly with her mommy. ;-)  I just love that face!  About 12-13 weeks old here. 

And finally, peeking out from under our couch when I called for her! "What?!? Did you find my new secret hiding place already?!?"  hahaha About 13 weeks old here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

She is now about 16 weeks old. Time flies! She looks much the same as this last snapshot, except of course matured and a little bigger! She's still my sweet puppy. She learns pretty quickly, now I just need to figure out how to get her to STOP nipping and biting! ;-)  She is mostly black but has 3/4 white tipped paws, and a tiny little white tip to her tail that curls over her back in the cutest fashion, and a bit of white on her throat called "tuxedo" markings! 

Hopefully all the pics added a smile and a bright spot to your day!  It's Friday, so I figured we could start the weekend out right!!  Have a good one, friends! 

Happy New Year 2013!

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 

Psalms 90:12

Happy New Year 2013 friends!  Yet again, as I think I've mentioned before, I'm shocked it's already 2013.  It's the commencement of another year.  

Our Christmas was a nice one. We were blessed to see some extended family prior to Christmas and then were invited to spend Christmas day with good friends who treat us as if we were their family. Good food, fun company, happy memories!  Of course my husband and I exchanged gifts and were pleased with what we gave each other.  My biggest present was a Christmas puppy. That's right!  I asked for one.  And I got her.  She is adorable! If I can figure out how to transfer photos from my iPhone to my blog, I might just get to post a photo or several of her!  

So as far as Christmas goes, that was a new thing for me, to be given a puppy per my request as my biggest Christmas present!  Otherwise I was fortunate to receive several books, namely the entire Giver series by Lois Lowry (amazing! So excited to read 3 and 4, as I have not yet!), and several from my dear long-time friend, Heather (Mrs Southern Bride).  I also received two movies I've wanted for a long time, Alice in Wonderland (the newest version starring Johnny Depp) and The Help based on a best-selling recent novel that I deeply appreciated and enjoyed!  I received a few other knick knacks as well including a few very cute ornaments to use on our tree next year, in bright colors! 

Christmas break flew by.  I was excited to have approximately 3 weeks altogether.  My classes start up again this coming Monday!  It's hard to fathom. I truly wish my break would last longer, yet at the same time, I am excited for what this new semester of classes has in store. 

2013.  I hope and pray this year holds many blessings, dreams come true, and peace, love and hope rekindled for us all!  May we make the most of our days, "number" them as the scripture says above, for they do scurry away so very quickly! 

The Choice

The Choice by Robert Whitlow made for an interesting read.  The ongoing battle between "pro-choice" and "pro-life" is represented in this book, although through the eyes of a rather different protagonist: that of the teenage unwed mother.  Whitlow clearly makes the point that while some women choose to abort their babies, some women choose not to, and thus a choice is the fundamental basis regardless of belief.

Whitlow is a Christian author, and his Christian beliefs are woven skillfully into this piece of fiction.  The book was well-written and seemed very realistic.  I was given glimpses into the minds and hearts of a couple characters, in particular Sandy, the protagonist. The book is not simply about Sandy's choice and the consequences, good and bad that followed. It is about what happened years down the road for Sandy and for everyone whose life she touched. It is also about the prodigal found in every person.

Favorite quote: "Everyone is a prodigal in their own unique way." 

I would give The Choice three out of five stars.  It was a good read with some great food for thought.


Thanks to BookSneeze for providing a copy of this book to me free of charge in order to procure my review.  Please note that my review is original and any opinions expressed are my own. 

On This The Last Day of November

Hello Friends!

Hard to believe we are in the very last day of November, 2012.  It seems every year as Christmas draws ever closer, I find it hard to fathom that time has more than inched -- yes, sprinted -- away and we are at the close of another year.  Where does time go?  That mysterious element.  It comes and goes, yet nobody knows . . . . . except of course God, how exactly it works.  It truly is a mystery.  I find it intriguing.

Anyhow, something of a segue there!  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Our was pretty uneventful really.  Having no family nearby means, well, no family to spend Thanksgiving with! We did break tradition and have our turkey-day on the Saturday AFTER Thanksgiving! That was interesting.  But we have been busy on home improvement projects (think painting the walls of a room -- yes, it takes time and it's demanding!) and so the open days of Thursday and Friday just worked well for things needing to be tended to!  And when we did eat Thanksgiving supper, after I had cooked all day and was so tired and sore (yes I felt my age and then some!), it was well worth it.  The food was delicious!

So Christmas is right around the bend.  We have not even begun to put up any decorations whatsoever. Why? See aforementioned home improvements -- with the one room being painted, everything that room contained except the bed frame and springs has been transported to our front room.  The front room is where we usually erect the lovely Christmas tree and put out various little decorations, including one of my all time favorites, SNOWMEN!  Yes, I do love me some snowmen.  ;-)  At any rate, I know I will be glad when the room is finished up and all the contents moved back and the front room clear so we can put up our tree! THEN it will feel more like Christmas is coming again, for real!

What are your traditions surrounding the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas?  Do you typically have your tree up and decorated before Thanksgiving is through?  The day after?  The week after?  What other decorations do you love to put up, and which do you dislike (thinking of lights on the eaves, or on the roof . . . . most shudder at the thought!)?  I'd love to hear!

Thanks for stopping by.  I'm always glad someone takes an interest in my humble blog and am thankful for any and all who follow!  Have a lovely last day of November!

Thanksgiving in Light of God's Goodness

Dear Friends,

No matter what I face every year, as Thanksgiving and then Christmas draw close I become excited.  I see with eyes made new all the blessings I actually have, and with a heart full of love for God I give thanks and rejoice.  I pray this Thanksgiving finds you feeling the same way . . . . that you discover yourself surrounded by people you love and people who love you, that you know for yourself the awesome love of our Savior Jesus Christ, and that you give thanks from a heart brimming over with joy as mine is this week!  We have so  many reasons to be thankful in our home, and I'm certain it's the same at yours if you only choose to see!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! 

Psalms 31:19 

When You Find Yourself Trespassed Against: God's Timely Word and My Broken Heart

My enemies say of me in malice, 

"When will he die and his name perish?"

When one of them comes to see me,

he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;

then he goes out and spreads it around. 

But may you have mercy on me, Lord;

raise me up, that I may repay them.

I know that you are pleased with me,

for my enemy does not triumph over me. 

Because of my integrity you uphold me

and set me in your presence forever. 

- Psalms 41:5-6, 10-12 (Italics added by me)

Have you ever had one of those days when you felt led to read a certain passage of scripture in your morning quiet time with God, and then after reading it you thought, "Well, I don't know if that particular scripture applies for me at this moment.  But it's all inspired, Holy Word and absolutely important."  Then, before the day is even through, it hits you how astoundingly pertinent that particular passage actually is for your life?  Right now, at this moment?  

That happened to me.  Literally today.  I read Psalms 41 this morning.  Of course it brought me comfort, but I was also sitting there thinking, "Thankfully no one is acting like my enemy right now, at least not that I'm aware, outside of THE enemy of course.  Thank you Lord for being pleased with me, for helping me to have a kind heart toward the weak (that's how this chapter begins!), and for setting me in your wonderful presence forever."  

Little did I know I would find out that a person who does not even have the right to say they know me has recently spoken falsely about me.  And has actually gone out and spread it around (it's not nice at all to find out second or third-hand). 

These completely unnecessary, petty, rude, thoughtless and outright malicious actions simply baffle me.  I cannot fathom someone trespassing against another like that.  To put it simply, it breaks my heart into a million shattered pieces. 

What hurts the most is that a person would choose to be so ugly (putting it nicely) when I have done nothing wrong.  When I have done nothing to provoke or to give the impression that I am anything but enthusiastic about life, about loving others and showing that love, about living for my King, Jesus.  

And yet, I know deep down in my heart of hearts, that this world hates the light.  That the people who choose to live in darkness and not in the light of Jesus will never understand true love, true brotherhood, true harmony.  They will never attempt to refrain from speaking whatever they feel toward others, including malicious and untrue things.  They will not stop themselves from gathering slander and spreading it to others.  

Because I cannot and will not control others, I am left looking to a greater God.  And though my heart is literally broken right now, and fear is trying to pound down my door, I will look to Jesus.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that He loves me, that He will NOT allow my enemy to triumph over me, and that as I walk in integrity and in the love of Christ He will set me in his presence forever and uphold me so that I will not be taken down with all those who try to drag me down with them. 

Thank you, Lord. Thank you for Your Word and Your impeccable timing. Thank You for the protection You promise to give to Your children who seek Your face and attempt every day to live upright and in integrity, and to love our neighbors as ourselves which You said is the second greatest commandment after loving You.  Thank you, Lord. 

Chilly Weather, Election & Salted Caramel Mochas

Hello Friends and Happy Autumn!

I apologize for the long gap of silence.  It's been a very busy autumn for me this year!  I am taking full time and a half of graduate school. That alone can keep a girl tied up!  I've also been working with my husband on organizing our home and paring down.  Speaking of which, if you live in the USA and don't mind helping to pay for a small shipping fee plus whatever we'd agree upon for the cost of the dress itself, I'm trying to sell seven of my beautiful nice gowns/dresses!  So if you're interested and wear a size 8 or 10, let me know!

Anyhow, the weather is finally beginning to feel like honest-to-goodness autumn.  It's taken a while!  But the temperatures are perfect during the day, and very cool at night.  Some of the leaves are turning, although many seem to have just fallen off leaving what looks to be a very large amount of already winter-bare trees.  Perhaps it was because of the hot, dry summer we had.  I will take any fall color in the leaves, though, I love it!

I discovered a new love: Salted Caramel Mochas from Starbucks.  Yes, friends, I think I've spent just a little too much money on a few of those this season!  haha  But they were absolutely worth it!  I always was a major fan of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, till I had one this time around and had a sore throat right afterward.  No idea why. Something in it didn't like me I guess!  But the S.C. Mocha doesn't do that to me at all . . . . and I really do enjoy the flavor blend!  :-)  So if you haven't tried it, do!  Tell me what you think!

The election is nearly upon us.  Where did the time go?  In some ways I'm sure many people would say that the last 4 years could not have gone by fast enough.  I would agree in some respects.  However, on the same token, I always find myself stunned to be facing yet another presidential election because that means FOUR years have gone by!  In the blink of an eye, really!  I would encourage you to vote responsibly this election.  I realize a lot is hanging in the balance for America.  And we the people need to take our responsibility to keep America on track seriously. . . . if we do not, there may not be an America as we know it for our children or grandchildren.  Yes, that's serious I know.  But I honestly feel we have a burden to bear!

On a lighter note, anyone reading anything spectacular, thought-provoking, inspirational or just plain idiosyncratic or odd this autumn?  I'm in the middle of several books (When am I NOT in the middle of at least two at a time, ever?!? LOL) and enjoying them all for various reasons.  A couple are non-fiction, a couple are fiction.  I did finish a novel by Jodi Picoult, a favorite contemporary author of mine, in the last week or so. "House Rules."  Very interesting read!  I liked it a lot and of course was hanging off the cliff until I read the last few pages, as always!!  :)

Have a lovely autumn, everyone!  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Christmas around the next corner after!